Page 47 of Stuck with My Billionaire Protector

“Clare, don’t you see that will never work? Even if I’m gone, you can’t make him love you,” I say, trying to reason with her.

“Shut up!” she screams.

I barely have time to react before she slaps me again.

Just then, the door bursts open and Lucas rushes in with some of his men. Dylan is right behind him.

Clare quickly pivots, raising her gun. However, before she can fire off a shot, Lucas tases her. Dylan runs straight to me. He unties me and takes me in his arms.

“Dylan! Thank God you’re here!”

“I thought I’d lost you. I was so scared when I realized you were gone.”

“Dylan, it’s okay. I’m here.” I snuggle up against his chest. I’ve never felt so safe. “But I don’t understand, how did you find me? Clare smashed my cell phone so it couldn’t be tracked.”

“Do you remember that nagging thought I had?” he asks.

I nod.

“I ran into Parker who told me you were off to have lunch at Buona Tavola with Clare. All of a sudden, it hit me. I had seen Clare there before, with Henry, but I didn’t know who he was at the time. Over the weekend, I came across an article about Henry’s appointment to Digiprint’s board of directors and it included his picture. That’s what was nagging at me. When Parker mentioned the name of the restaurant, my brain finally put it all together and I just instinctively knew Clare was involved. I immediately called Lucas. He tracked your burner phone and here we are…”

“You saved me again….”

“I’ll always save you, Jocelyn. I love you.”

Epilogue

Dylan

Overthenextfewdays, Jocelyn and I, with help from Lucas and the police, pieced it all together. It turns out Clare had been in love with me for years and my inadvertent rejection of her ultimately pushed her over the edge. She met Henry by chance. He quickly saw an opportunity to manipulate her. He convinced her that if she sabotaged me, she could be the one to “save” my company and I would fall in love with her.

Henry’s motives were a mixture of business and personal. He applied for a job at Chase Media after graduating from college and was turned down. Even though I wasn’t the hiring manager, as the company’s founder, he held a grudge against me ever since. After taking a position at Digiprint, he realized he could promote his company’s interests and settle his score with me.

So, they began working together… Clare passed on insider information to Henry, allowing Digiprint to one-up me. She purposefully messed up the travel arrangements for the trip to Fiji and leaked the picture of me kissing Jocelyn to the press. She even tipped off Erica to our location. She was the one who arranged with the hotel to allow Erica to access our room. When that back-fired big time, she started sending the threatening text messages and vandalized Jocelyn’s apartment. The whole time, she was egged on by Henry.

Needless to say, they were both fired from their respective positions and are now awaiting trial. Clare is planning to offer an insanity defense, and it just might work.

The emails from Donald were just a coincidence and were actually genuine. He took note of Jocelyn’s success at Chase Media and realized he made a mistake firing her.

The threats and the sabotage were resolved. Donald realized Jocelyn wouldn’t be returning to work for him and stopped emailing her. I still want to punch him in the face for the way he treated her, but I’ve decided to be the bigger man and let it go.

After giving our statements to the police, we had just enough time to get cleaned up and into our party clothes. The launch party was a huge success. I was so elated that I ended up doubling the bonuses that I promised everyone. I can afford it, and it’s time I started recognizing others’ contributions to my success. StreamScape has become one of the top streaming services in the country, and we are already making plans to launch internationally. I know I owe a lot of it to Jocelyn. Her insights into the marketing strategy have made it all possible.

It’s been about a month now and by unspoken agreement, Jocelyn never moved back to her apartment. The past is a distant memory, and the present is filled with love and happiness. Jocelyn has transformed my life in ways I never thought possible. As I look into her eyes, I see a reflection of the person I have become—a person capable of opening his heart and embracing the joy that comes with true love.

We’ve faced challenges together, navigating the treacherous waters of corporate sabotage and personal demons. Through it all, Jocelyn’s unwavering support and unwavering belief in me have been my guiding light. She’s shown me that life is not meant to be spent in isolation, but rather shared with someone who truly understands and cares.

Her infectious laughter, her warmth, and her ability to see the best in people have softened the edges of my once-cynical heart. Every day, I wake up grateful for the love we share, knowing that I am the luckiest man alive to have her by my side.

As we stand in our favorite spot overlooking the city skyline, I take a deep breath, feeling a rush of nerves and excitement. I reach into my pocket and feel the weight of the small velvet box in my hand, a symbol of my commitment and love.

“Jocelyn,” I begin, my voice filled with emotion. “From the moment you entered my life, you brought light and warmth into the darkest corners of my world. You’ve shown me what it means to love and be loved. I can’t imagine my life without you. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Tears glisten in Jocelyn’s eyes as she nods, a radiant smile lighting up her face. “Yes, Dylan. Yes, a thousand times yes. You’ve changed my life in ways I never thought possible, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my days with you.”

At that moment, as we seal our love with a tender kiss, I know that our journey is far from over. We will continue to face life’s challenges together, growing stronger with each passing day. And in the midst of it all, our love will remain steadfast, a beacon of light guiding us through the ups and downs.

With Jocelyn by my side, I have found my true purpose—the endless pursuit of love, happiness, and a life filled with beautiful moments. And as we walk hand in hand toward our future, I know that our love story will be one for the ages. It is a testament to the transformative power of love and the beauty of finding your soulmate.

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